Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially debilitating disease in which the body's immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. This interferes with the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Ultimately, this may result in deterioration of the nerves themselves, a process that is not reversible.
Statistics show that approximately 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with this disease. Symptoms vary widely, depending on the amount of damage and which nerves are affected. People with severe cases of multiple sclerosis may lose the ability to walk or speak. Symptoms of MS include numbness in the arms or legs, pain, loss of vision, muscle weakness or tremors, paralysis, vertigo, fatigue, difficulty with speech, bladder dysfunction, depression, hearing loss, and itching.
There is no cure for MS, but certain medications have been found to ease MS attacks and possibly slow the disease. Treatments attempt to return function after an attack, prevent new attacks, and prevent disability. MS medications can have adverse effects or be poorly tolerated. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for better-tolerated, more effective therapies for MS.